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Caught in a Cycle
Caught in a Cycle
Amy B. Crowe | 2017 | Children
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This children's book has its issues deciding what message it is really trying to give. The main theme is bullying is wrong, but it also gets mixed up with telling lies just makes things worse and while set in a zoo doing less that likely jobs make the whole thing difficult for it to give its message clearly and uncluttered by the extras.
A shame really, my daughter enjoyed it but didn't pick up the full message without some reinforcements.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher. and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
  
Animal Circus
Animal Circus
Michael Batchelor | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a free copy of the book through the Goodreads Giveaways program and voluntarily chose to review.

For the animals of Doe's Circus, life is hard. At the mercy of the ringmaster and his tyrannical gang of showmen, the petting zoo animals long to escape.

Written from the perspective of the animals, the story takes you through how they react to the abuse they suffer, their determination to survive, and their plan to escape.

With superb characterization, the story is well written. It's dark and suspenseful with a surprise ending that left somewhat disappointed and slightly traumatized.
  
Little Monsters (2019)
Little Monsters (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Horror
Shes so cute tho...
387. Little Monsters. Nope it's not a remake of the Fred Savage 80s flick. Instead this is the 'Life Is Beautiful' for the zombie genre. And it was pretty sweet! We meet Dave, a down on his luck musician, broke up with the girl, band broke up, has to live with his sister and her young son. (Dave reminded me of a Andy Dwyer type, Park n Rec fans? Anyone, anyone?) To pull his weight around his sisters house, he takes his nephew, Felix, to school, and there he meets and is instantly infatuated with Felix's teacher Miss Caroline, with reason, she's played by Lupita Nyong'o!! One thing leads to another and Dave finds himself as a chaperone for the next field trip to the local zoo, which just happens to be next to a military research facility, which so happens to be suffering from a zombie outbreak at the time. As you may have guessed these zombies find their way to the zoo, and yep hell breaks loose. However, the kiddos are completely oblivious to this thanks to Miss Caroline convincing them its all just a game! It was a very well done comedy zombie flick. Rounding out the cast is Josh Gad playing a kids tv show host, he is great! Worth the watch!! Filmbufftim on FB
  
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Ross (3284 KP) rated Amazon Kindle in Apps

Nov 7, 2017  
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle
Book
9
9.1 (292 Ratings)
App Rating
Whispersync (when it works) (0 more)
Whispersync (when it doesn't) (0 more)
The kindle app turns your high-tech smart phone into a (relatively) low-tech ebook reader. While this seems like a backward step, the added portability and the ability to sync your latest reading position on your kindle to your phone to seamlessly carry on is a massive advantage. This generally works but has on occasion been a bit of a letdown.
I have also used the app to store PDF files for things like zoo tickets or maps when travelling in case of poor internet signal meaning you couldn't download them later which worked well.
  
A hardcover slipcase set of the first three books in the FunJungle series (Belly Up, Poached, and Big Game). Join Teddy Fitzroy as has finds danger and mystery involving the animals at FunJungle, a giant zoo/amusement park in Texas. Each book features a different animal as well, from hippos to koalas and rhinos.

These books are wonderful! They are filled with great mysteries, twists, danger, comedy, and characters you'd want to have as friends. Teddy's parents are just as great as the kid characters are. Anyone looking for a great mystery will be glad they read these books.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-funjungle-collection-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Caught in a Cycle
Caught in a Cycle
Amy B. Crowe | 2017 | Children
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
engaging story (0 more)
not always a clear message (0 more)
What do I want to be?
This children's book has its issues deciding what message it is really trying to give. The main theme is bullying is wrong, but it also gets mixed up with telling lies just makes things worse and while set in a zoo doing less that likely jobs make the whole thing difficult for it to give its message clearly and uncluttered by the extras.
A shame really, my daughter enjoyed it but didn't pick up the full message without some reinforcements.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher. and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
  
The Land of Reverse  by David Manousos has a gentle tone with a soothing cadence to the words that suit perfectly for bedtime readings. The illustrations are a great accompaniment. 

The story is about Sam who could not sleep one night. He let his mind wander to the Land of reverse. Everything Sam thought of in reality was backwards. Your hands are your feet, cars drive on the sidewalk, the animals in the zoo have the humans caged and feed them. Sam returns back to his bed happy and cannot wait to return to the Land of Reverse.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dog Ear Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
  
Collins English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary
Collins Dictionaries | 2015 | Children
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"It's kinda old hat now, I guess, to have a paper dictionary, but I loved our dictionary so much-flicking through a book WITH ALL THE WORDS IN was like having a book with a million Christmases in. I kept a list of my most precious words on my wall, like trophies, or pressed flowers, or phone-numbers of hot boys: "Jaguary, mimosa, cathedral, lilac, shagreen, ardent, isosceles, attar of roses, uxurious, leopardskin, jubilee, zoo." Every dictionary contains every word, and therefore every book-just not yet in the right order. Just like every person has a book inside them, too-just not yet in the right order. We are all dictionaries."

Source
  
BG
Big Game
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When someone takes a shot at Rhonda Rhino, security goes on high alert to try to capture the poacher. Teddy once again finds himself caught up in the mystery, but can he find the shooter with Large Marge once again on this tail for something he didn’t do?

It’s always wonderful to be back at this zoo, and the characters are as wonderful as always. The plot is perfectly constructed with everything set up well for a great climax. The issue of rhino poaching is giving a much needed spotlight without slowing things down at all. Middle grade audiences will love it, as will anyone who wants a wonderful mystery.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-review-big-game-by-stuart-gibbs.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance most fowl (2024)
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance most fowl (2024)
2024 |
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
It's been, what, nearly 20 years since the last Wallace And Gromit feature length film (Curse of the Were-Rabbit).

That's from 2005.

A Matter of Loaf and Death is from 2008, and was the last tie the dynamic claymation duo were on our screens.

In the intervening time, the voice of Wallace - Peter Sallis - has passed away.

Which, if I'm being honest, did make me wonder how the new film would cope with somebody else (Ben Whitehead) voicing Wallace.

I have to say that, thankfully, he actually does a pretty decent Peter Sallis impersonation.

This film also sees the most-anticipated return of the evil penguin Feather McGraw (from "The Wrong Trousers"), who hijacks Wallace's latest invention too break out of Jail (aka the Zoo).

Gotta love the Blofeld bit ...